It’s also a test of the NCAA’s mettle: Just how far is it willing to go to continue to enforce the facade of “amateurism”? In the most extreme, unabashed affront to its most fundamental premise — hell, to its very existence — in 25 years, where does it draw the line?

I don’t know the answer, and I doubt anyone will for a long time. The NCAA process is well underway, and it’s response is going to be the usual long, protracted exercise in bureaucratic tooth-pulling, spanning many months and many bureaucratic steps and probably an appeal or two in the name of giving Miami its due process. At no point in that span will I write that Miami is going to get the death penalty, or that it should get the death penalty. Frankly, I don’t have an opinion.

But if the death penalty is in the bylaws, it must be on the table here. Practically speaking, if this isn’t a death penalty case, then the death penalty no longer exists.

Per Yahoo!, "Nevin Shapiro said this photo was taken during a basketball fundraiser in 2008, in which the booster donated $50,000 to the program. From left to right are men’s basketball coach Frank Haith, Shapiro and University of Miami president Donna Shalala. Shalala is holding Shapiro’s donation check. "